India cantered to a thumping four-wicket win over New Zealand in the second T20 in Christchurch on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing a big target of 181, India got off to a mixed start, with Sanju Samson departing after scoring 14 runs, while young gun Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who got an opportunity to show his worth, managed only four runs.
However, India held their nerve to reach the target in 19.5 overs. India were able to pull off the victory after Tilak Varma rose to the occasion with a crucial half-century, scoring 51 runs to anchor the innings and keep India's fight alive. Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy also stepped up with a valuable contribution, slamming 26 unbeaten.
Earlier, New Zealand, asked to bat, recovered from a difficult start to get to a respectable total of 180/5. They were jolted early on after slipping to 41/3, with Indian bowlers making things difficult for New Zealand batters. However, Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs forged a massive partnership of 116 runs to rebuild the innings. Phillips blasted an aggressive knock of 70 runs, while Jacobs shone with a 56-run knock. For India, Arshdeep Singh returned with figures of 2/33, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with a wicket apiece.